The heart of our reality Yusef Daher

Jerusalem Interchurch Centre -JIC

A city of reconciliation has become a city of discrimination and exclusion…

Patriarch Michel Sabbah

1.

An occupied city is a city for one people Demography 2.

Residency 3.

4.

5.

Access and the wall Housing Settlements

…………….Beside other policies!

Jews Christians Moslems

Jerusalem Demography under Israel

1966 100000 25000 90000 1968 195000 12700 66000 1978 340000 13500 121000 1995 417100 14000 182700 500000 400000 300000 200000 100000 0 2000 448000 12000 204000 1966 1968 Jews 1978 1995 Christians 2000 Moslems 2012 497000 9000 250000 2012

 In 1967 Jerusalem Palestinians were treated as if they were immigrants to Israel, under law of “Entry to Israel”.  Under “Access to Israel” (1952), the law allows the interior minister to confiscate identity cards from anyone they deem as a danger and threat to Israeli security.

 Later ….Those born to Jerusalemite parents outside of Israel, in the West Bank, or abroad, for example, will not be granted permission to reside or to work in Jerusalem.

 Families with West bank parent cannot reside in Jerusalem

Jerusalem Residency status revoked

year IDs 1968 1973 1978 1983 1988 1993 105 77 39 616 23 32 1998 2003 2008 788 272 4577 1967-2009 14000 Trends as per Israeli Ministry of Interior

Jerusalem residency rights Case: Palestinian Christians • New Magnetic cards will place the old Blue ID cards • Two years grace period for voluntary renewal • What will happen after two years

Estimated 1/3 of Palestinian Christians will be unable to renew

their residency rights due to: 1. Living outside the boundaries of Jerusalem Municipality 2. Unable to prove Jerusalem as center of life ( No bills ) 3. Residing overseas 4. Jordanian Jerusalemite

JIC

At least 33% of all Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem lack building permits, which are difficult to obtain, potentially placing at least 93,100 residents at risk of displacement. Since 1967, the Israeli authorities have demolished some 2,000 houses in East Jerusalem. UNITED NATIONS Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs occupied Palestinian territory UNOCHA

 since the beginning of 2012, Israel has destroyed 569 Palestinian buildings and structures, including wells and 178 residences. In all, 1,014 people were affected by those demolitions in Jerusalem and area C.

 Because of settlement activity and eviction, several hundred Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem are at risk of forced displacement. Particularly affected are the Old City and Silwan, and 500 people in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood.

 Since 1967, Israel constructed settlements in East Jerusalem, in contravention of international law  A ‘municipal layer’  A ‘metropolitan layer’ constructed in wider area of Jerusalem  An ‘inner layer’: Land and property also expropriated from Palestinians to create settlements in Palestinian residential areas, the ‘Holy Basin’ area   Between September 2011 and 2012 Israel planned at least 11,096 housing units for settlements in and around Occupied East Jerusalem. 44,000 new Israeli settlers over the half a million settlers living in the OPT today. “Bypass roads”, built illegally on Palestinian land for the express purpose of cutting journey times for settlers , mostly off limits to Palestinian cars.

West JRS East JRS

 Palestinian communities in East Jerusalem find themselves on ‘West Bank’ side of the Barrier.  Now need to cross checkpoints to access health, education and other services which they are entitled as residents  West Bank neighbourhoods and suburbs of East Jerusalem, once closely connected to the urban fabric, now walled out.

 Devastating social and economic consequences.

UNOCHA

 3.7 million Palestinians from the remainder of the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) are prohibited from entering East Jerusalem without Israeli-issued permits, which are limited and difficult to obtain.  Palestinians who are able to obtain permits can only use four of the 16 checkpoints along the Barrier.  This system of restrictions obstructs Palestinian access, including patients by ambulance, to the East Jerusalem health facilities which provide specialized and emergency services  Access to Holy sites, to Education and Family social fabric are other limitations … UNITED NATIONS Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs occupied Palestinian territory

  Two Peoples.. Three religions Its Sanctity and its message is the source of inspiration towards a solution – A shared Universal city  Palestinians are struggling to reside in their own city of birth and access its holy sites like any other tourist while resisting an illegal occupation.